Poor circulation (peripheral arterial disease) is the second most important factor after neuropathy in diabetic foot complications. Diabetes accelerates atherosclerosis at 2-4 times the rate of non-diabetics.
How Poor Circulation Affects:
- Slow wound healing: Blood carries oxygen, nutrients, and immune cells. Without adequate flow, wounds cannot heal.
- Weakened infection resistance: Reduced delivery of white blood cells and antibiotics to the affected area.
- Intermittent claudication: Leg pain when walking that forces the patient to stop — relieved by rest, returns with walking.
- Rest pain: In advanced cases — continuous pain even without movement, especially at night when elevating the foot.
- Gangrene: In severe cases — tissue death due to complete blood supply cutoff.
How We Assess Circulation:
We measure the Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI), a simple and painless test comparing blood pressure in the ankle to arm pressure. A value below 0.9 indicates poor circulation.
At BEIT TARIQ Center, we perform this test on every diabetic patient and refer to vascular specialists if necessary.